Make Believe
by lalez
Summary: A story of Lies and Truth, Deception and Honesty and where the roads will take you when you stray from your path. Can old and new friendships or relationships survive or change for the better? Which road would you take?
1. Shock and Awe

The day was finally over and Shelby would mentally kick herself the whole ride home. "Why did I tell him I would go out with him? Am I stupid? I need to talk to Maxine."

Over the course of the next week Shelby tried to reach Maxine unsuccessfully and finally decided on dropping by the raven haired womans'  
office. Even that hadn't been her own idea but Caleb had suggested it, although he questioned the sense in the action.

"I just need to talk to her. Back when we were first starting out with the task force I advised her to push back and threaten to walk ... so I need to talk to her now and get her side of the story. You have heard your brother: He is heartbroken!" had been her own reasoning.

"Admit it, you just don't want to be the reason they broke up. You want to hear that there is something else going on." Caleb knows her so well. He can still read her like an open book. "Yes, No ... Maybe! I just can't believe she would walk away. And I clearly did nothing to even lead him on. Remember we even pretended to be something again! So, I really need to hear it from Maxine herself."

A young woman let Shelby enter and lead her to the office. "Just take a seat and Miss Griffin will be with you shortly."

After a couple of minutes Maxine finally came in but stopped dead in her track when the two women's eyes meet.

"What are you doing here? Come to gloat?" she fired the first shot when she regained her voice and composure.

Shelby was shocked and didn't know what to say at first but a bad feeling came over her.

"I wanted to talk to you about your break-up and ask why you left..."

"Why I left? did you hit your head recently?"

"I guess I got a wrong story here. But let me assure you I am not here to gloat. I wanted to help fix this mess. What the hell happened?"

Shelby interjected trying to calm the other woman down. She took her phone out and shot a text to Caleb: "Kill your brother. He lied."

* * *

 **So here it is, my version of what should have happened after Episode 21. I am a Clay/Shelby supporter but I am also with Josh Safran who said in an interview "If we have a couple more seasons..." These two definitely need more time and work out a lot of stuff. This lie is just the start. Oh and just so we can get it out of the way: Yes I would also love Shelby back with Caleb (if they can work their stuff out). Welcome to this ride :)**


	2. Fun and Games

Caleb stared at his phone confused. What did Shelby mean by "He lied". What did his idiotic brother do now? _I will find out soon enough but she needs to expand on this!_

For now Caleb just decided to go meet Clay and have a little fun at his expense, because any guy who angered a trained FBI sharpshooter or sniper needed to be made fun of.

Back in Maxine's townhouse Shelby still was at a loss trying to convince the brown haired woman that she had nothing at all to do with her stupid fiances decision or at least that she hadn't given him any indication that she was interested.

"How can I prove to you that I have nothing to do with this? I am not with him, I swear!" Shelby tried one more time but felt she was going to regret that question as soon as it had left her mouth.

"There is only one thing that could possibly convince me: Tell me you are with someone else!" _I knew it!_

Shelby's head was spinning but then she remembered and prayed to god that he would know what to say and what to leave out.

She took out her phone and dialed a number she had dialed recently in a pinch.

"Hey sweetie" she said when the line picked up and when she practically heard the question marks Shelby smiled to hide the laughter that was forming inside her.

"I am here with our good friend Maxine and she has kind of not believed me alone when I told her that I was unavailable. Could you tell her how we decided to try again, after that one night?"

"You want me to what?" came a spluttered comeback.

"Yes, exactly but no need to tell her how I threw myself at you okay?" after a couple of seconds she got a reply back, "Okay?!"

He still sounded unsure but by now he could take a pretty good guess what had happened over there and which lie the blonde beauty was so pissed about.

 _This is going to be so much fun!_

"Pass her along or put it on speaker phone, I just need to get inside and sit down then I can get into this story."

"I'll put you on speaker. Where are you anyway?" Shelby asked and put the phone on speaker at the same time.

"I am walking into my brothers place but I'll leave the killing to the sniper, okay?" Caleb said and Shelby could practically see the teasing smile playing on his face. At the same time Maxine just stared at the phone incredulously. "You're dating Caleb, again?" she whispers shocked.

"Yes, Max. We are trying again. We actually hooked up after your engagement party and since then have tried to slowly build something new. We were trying to do this in secret but I am actually confused that you hadn't heard yet. Clay knows."


	3. Truth or Dare

**So since I am getting nice messages for this story (even though nearly no reviews) it got me positive enough to give you part three. Chapter will stay around 500 words because this will be written with just a rough plot scripted. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

Shelby hadn't anticipated that Caleb would be so blunt and she could see the hurt in Maxine's eyes immediately.

"Caleb, I think that was a tad too much. But thank you. Talk to you later." Shelby quickly finished the phone call.

"I am sorry but you know he can be blunt. If I am guessing correctly the last part was not for our benefit. He is staying with Clay at the moment." she offered and tried to console Maxine at the same time. "Come on lets grab some food and you can tell me how idiotic this whole situation is." Shelby throws in the room and grabs her bag. Maxine nods in agreement an the twosome leave.

In the shared apartment Caleb sets his phone down. Grinning like the cat that ate the canary. _Three - Two -_

"What do I know?"

"Have we gone into eavesdropping now? Or is that you trying to become a spy again? Let me tell you, Johnny English is a better spy than you and he is fictional."

"Okay Caleb, you made your point. But seriously who were you on the phone with and what am I supposed to know?"

"I have a question for you: What is more idiotic: To anger a woman or to anger a trained sniper? And why would you do any of it?"

Caleb could see the confusion on his brothers face but he wouldn't give in. Clay has to answer.

"I don't really see where you are going with this. What has that to do with who you were on the phone with?"

"Please tell me your little weed experiment didn't kill all your brain cells? Just answer the damn question and the story will continue."

"Okay, I guess angering a woman is too easy but pissing of a sniper is dangerous. He could kill you from far away. So I choose option B, the sniper." Caleb's grin just grew a tad more devilish. That subtle shift manages to make Clay uneasy. He still can't figure out where this is going.

"Congratulations you have realized the idiocy in angering a sniper. So now my second part of the question. Why would one do something so stupid?"

"I don't know maybe if you didn't know he is a sniper?"

"Ah there is the word again: HE! Well my, now sober brother, you managed to anger a trained female sniper this fine day. Congratulations" Caleb slapped him on the shoulder.

"I didn't leave the apartment so how I could I anger a sniper?"

Caleb shifts a little bit on the sofa so he is fully facing his confused brother. _Maybe I have to hit him over the head with a hint._

"This is where we get back to the phone call. That was my girlfriend who is out having coffee with a new, dear friend who has been dumped by her fiance as it turns out."


	4. Food and Stories

Two women in a coffee shop ordering iced lattes and bagels. It sounded cliche in Shelby's head and she felt weird for it. _But hey I suggested it so here it goes._

"I am sorry" both of them started at the same time when they had settled at a table. _Ah there it is again. The awkward silence._

Shelby motioned for Maxine to start. Feeling that the other woman needed to get her part out.

"I am sorry for thinking you had an affair with Clay and for accusing you of darker motives for coming to see me."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. You were thinking what a lot of people probably were thinking. Even Caleb insinuated something along those lines when he first came here. I am guessing you talked to Felix about your suspicions because he kind of accused me of it too. But like I said, you have nothing to be sorry about. I have to apologize. I should have never tried to get Clay to be more friendly around me. I should have just accepted that he hated me and tried to work around it."

"Let me stop you right there. Yes he hated you but a good boss should be able to keep his personal feelings aside and work with someone. In his defense: Your situation is somewhat complicated and screwed up. You did nothing wrong. But I am still convinced he kicked me to the curb to be with you."

"Maxine, no I don't think so. You saw the press conference last night?" Shelby paused to see her reaction and sure Maxine nodded. "When the FBI picked all of us up it could have just as well been to throw us in jail and charge us with treason. I really believe he wanted to shield you from this. Because can you imagine the scandal if a former presidents son and chief strategist would be prosecuted for treason? Would you want to be in the cross-hairs too?"

"I guess not. But seriously you have to have noticed that he has at least a crush on you. That much was obvious. Don't try to tell me I am wrong. I know him very well."

Shelby put her hands up and sighed.

"Don't freak out but yes I knew this. He told me as much." When Maxine opens her mouth to get a word in Shelby stops her. "I know it sounds bad. But he also was steadfast in his love for you and he wants to spend the rest of his life with you. He told me this in the very same conversation. So all I ask of you now is that you give him at least a chance to apologize. I am not saying forgive and forget but hear him out. Okay?"

Shelby looks at Maxine expectantly and waits for the dark haired woman to answer.

"I will give him that chance if he contacts me. I will listen but that's all I can promise. And how do you even know he will try to talk to me? I am not so sure about that."

"Oh I know who he is talking to right now, so I am sure. He will try to make it right. And now please lets talk about something else."

"What do you want to talk about? We don't really know each other!"

"Well, remember when you asked me to mentor the next generation? How about we talk about that!"

Shelby smiled and took a sip of her latte. Maxine seemed at ease with that idea and the two of them shared an inspirational conversation, also trading stories about how to get taken seriously as a woman in business.


	5. See and Hear

**So I finally got back into writing again. Haven't seen the Season 3 premiere so no idea what I will incorporate here (or if it is even possible). As always the chapter is short but hopefully I wont disappear for a year again :)**

* * *

Maxine left the coffee shop after the conversation she had with Shelby and they had set up a new meeting in the office for later that week. _I still cannot believe she is back with Caleb. That makes no sense what so ever …. I mean he hated her back when we all found out about the affair._ She shook her head as if the would help her clear her thoughts and went back to her office.

But her curiosity got the better of her. She needed to know and hear it from Caleb one more time, but she wanted to see his face to figure out if he was lying. From experience Maxine knew that the younger Haas brother couldn't lie when it was Shelby or his feelings towards the blonde woman.

Before she could lose her nerve, Maxine went outside and hailed a cab. When she arrived at her destination she pushed the bell and just seconds later realized where she was. _Oh no I am so stupid! I should've called before…. No that would have killed the surprise. Arrgh._ During her inner fight she had turned her back to the door and only hearing a voice behind her brought her back to the real world: "Max what are you doing here?"

"It had to be you." She muttered under her breath and then continued out loud: "I came to see Caleb, he is staying here right?" To say that her Ex looked confused was putting it mildly. He looked so perplex and shell-shocked he stepped aside to let her in without a second question. "He is upstairs in the living room."

Maxine made her way quietly upstairs and entered the room. Caleb's eyes were fixated at the TV and what looked like some sort of wargame. "And was it the pizza? They were fast!"

"Sorry, no I didn't bring pizza. I wanted to talk to you in person!" she offered, and the younger man spun around shock clearly visible on his features, but he recovered quickly. "Hey Max. What are you doing here? Did he explain himself to you?" "No, not yet anyway. I actually came to see you. I wanted to hear your story again and see your face."

"You don't believe I gave Shelby another shot." He offered and got a nod in response. "Okay, so take a seat. I will tell the story again. This time the full story, even though I think it will break your heart a little more. If you want me to stop just say so." Caleb looked at her again, giving her an out but Maxine had her mind made up. "I need to hear it."


	6. Rinse and Repeat

**Hello again, so surprise I am actually still alive. Writing this story is harder than I thought and the characters are stubborn. Especially Max, but we made a deal. She is now playing ball for at least the next two chapters :).**

 **Next chapter actually is already in progress and will feature (finally) Shelby and Clay in the same room.**

* * *

Caleb told the story again and he could see how much this whole thing confused Maxine. They never really had gotten close or anything other than acquaintances, but it was hard to lie so openly and hurt the woman in front of him.

Caleb also was nearly a hundred percent sure that outside his brother was listening in.

 _That is what makes this thing worth it. And maybe they can talk after this?_

He noticed a single tear running down Maxine's cheek and handed her a box of tissues. "Here, so you don't ruin your make-up crying over some idiot!" Maxine took the box from him thankfully with a little smile, but he could pinpoint the second his sentence had registered in her head, because he received a slight slap and a "Hey!" from her.

"See, that made you smile!"

"Thanks for bearing with me. I just needed to see you while you told me the story. I was so surprised when Shelby called you after I admitted I could only believe she wasn't available if I could talk to her boyfriend."

 _Yeah, just try picturing my surprise._

"It wasn't our plan to be so public about us. We wanted to test us out and maybe work through a couple of our issues beforehand. But you kind of blew that plan out of the water. Maybe we needed this. We were sneaking around in Quantico and the end of that song everyone knows. So thank you, I guess."

 _Holy hell, I am getting really good at lying if she believes me._

A phone alarm starts blaring and Max looks at her phone in shock. "Crap, I have to leave. I have a meeting in 30 minutes back in the office and nothing is prepped." She gets up in a hurry and Caleb has trouble to get her to calm down for a second or two.

"Ok, Max. Breathe. I am sure we can manage. I'll drive you over right now and, on my way, back I can go and visit Shelby. How does that sound?"

He can clearly see her taking a couple of calming breaths and contemplating his offer.

Maxine lets out a last long breath and then offers: "Then bring the car around, Hoke. Miss Daisy is waiting!"

 _Maybe she isn't as horrible as I thought._

When he opened the door, he was met with the pizza delivery guy and just quickly paid and put the pies on the counter calling out "Pizza is here! Go crazy! I'll be back in a bit!"


End file.
